Alternative dispute redressal must be encouraged: CJ

With around 30 million cases pending in different courts of the country it is necessary to encourage alternative dispute redressal (ADR) for quick resolution of differences, Calcutta High Court Chief Justice S S Nijjar said in Kolkata.

With around 30 million cases pending in different courts of the country it is necessary to encourage alternative dispute redressal (ADR) for quick resolution of differences, Calcutta High Court Chief Justice S S Nijjar said in Kolkata on Saturday.

"In India there must be access to justice for the poor people, but the rich have the option of going for arbitration," the Chief Justice told a national conference on international commercial arbitration in Kolkata.

"There has to be a paradigm shift from fixation with courts to ADRs making people aware that it is equally effective and equally binding," he said adding general people must be made aware that ADR can help in solving a problem without involving the normal costs, he said.

Nijjar said though there are options of commercial arbitration in India but due to lack of infrastructure and will to work in a proper manner both by the arbitrators and lawyers, most of the foreign parties refuse to go for such facilities in Kolkata.

In the United States and Europe, the system is much faster and save costs for the parties.

"If we want India to be a venue of international arbitration for commercial disputes between industries and businesses, the mechanism must be made proper to ensure expeditious and cost effective solution," he said.